Ohio State’s sustainability faculty and staff have consistently pushed the boundaries of research, brought unique teaching perspectives, and excelled within and beyond the Columbus community. This year, three sustainability-focused researchers and one program have been selected to receive 2022 University Outreach and Engagement Awards, a distinction meant to honor the staff, faculty, students, and community partners of Ohio State that have gone the extra mile to promote engaged scholarship and create community impact...

...When examining programs, WestFest stood out as a remarkable celebration of sustainability. The public event shows off the outreach and sustainability work of the university, featuring organizations such as the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, Center for Automotive Research, Sustainability Institute, Museum of Biological Diversity, Arne Slettebak Planetarium, among others. First held in 2017 with seven organizations attending, WestFest has grown to become an annual occurrence on campus ever since. It went virtual in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, evolving into a six-day interactive platform appropriate for all ages.

Courtney Price, research program manager for the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State, accepted the award for WestFest.

“It has been so rewarding to watch WestFest grow and evolve since the inaugural event in 2017,” Price said.

Price has partnered on the project with Jason Cervenec, education and outreach director at the Byrd Center, and their colleagues, Cynthia Canan, Monica Delgado Carrillo, Katherine O’Brien, and Wayne Schlingman of the STEM Impact Collaborative, worked together to create a flawless and smooth event that is accessible to all.

The ability to facilitate community connections and develop access points for researchers and outside contacts is the shining feature of WestFest. The event’s planning committee strategically organizes the setup and execution to promote public engagement and support so every researcher and educator can feel comfortable sharing their expertise with the WestFest audience.

“Over the years, WestFest has built a network of partners from across campus and throughout the community who are dedicated to engaging the public in informal, hands-on STEM experiences. From our West Campus festival to our virtual events, we are reaching families and science enthusiasts throughout Central Ohio and around the world,” Price said.

WestFest 2022 is scheduled for October 15 at its full, in-person capacity, public health considerations allowing. Virtual options for the festival are to be announced at a later date.

Learn more about WestFest

About the Outreach and Engagement Awards

Read the Original Story here.

March 25, 2022, Story by Aurora Ellis, student communications assistant